


A normal boy

by VictorineMarguerite



Category: Oban Star-Racers
Genre: Gen, Nourasia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-20 17:03:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14898503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VictorineMarguerite/pseuds/VictorineMarguerite
Summary: “You do know me better than my own parents", Aikka had told his fencing master one day. He had looked a bit embarrassed saying this, like it was something that he thought about often but that shouldn’t been said out loud.





	A normal boy

**Author's Note:**

> I always wondered what Aikka's relationship with his fencing master was like. 
> 
> Special thanks to Camille, my BFF and BBR (best beta reader).

The first time Canaan met Aikka, he thought he looked like a regular kid. Sure, he was the Prince of Nourasia, and the only heir to the crown. He was bound to be his King one day. But for now, he was a young boy like many others roaming in the castle. When Canaan met Aikka for the first time, properly, not just seeing him from afar at some party or on a solemn occasion, the Prince almost cried. He was scared of his future fencing master. Canaan would have laughed, if he had been allowed to mock a member of the royal family. 

Aikka was a bit whiny, much to the dismay of his father. King Lao seemed to forget that himself wasn’t always a harsh man with too much white hair for his age. It was hard to imagine him as an innocent child. Just like it was hard to remember a more simple time for Nourasia, when the Crogs hadn’t changed their life for the worst. Aikka was still a baby when the first black ships had landed on their planet. When Canaan was chosen to be his master, at 6 years old, every Nourasian had lost hope they would ever leave. The war had been quick and terrible. Many had died. As the general of the King’s army, Lao had seen those deaths with his own eyes. 

After the war ended, most people at the castle pretended that life was back to normal. It was an odd feeling, seeing so many people lie, including to themselves, about the truth of their situation. The Crogs liked to toy with that lie. Of course, everything was fine and normal. Nourasians were as free as before. Except for those who dared to criticize the new alliance between Nourasia and the empire. They would disappear without a trace and everyone would act like they had never existed. Because things had to be normal, if you wanted to survive. 

To enjoy life was a privilege. It wasn’t that easy outside of the castle of Döl, where Crogs liked to steal, exploit or kill even more, far away from the King’s eyes. Canaan knew this. Sometimes he wondered if he was the only one who did. He hated the way nobles seemed to ignore the struggles of their own people. 

Nevertheless, when Lao had asked Canaan to be in charge of his son’s training, he had said yes. It was a great honor. It was also an odd choice, choosing him, one of the most experienced soldiers of the King’s army, to look after a kid, no matter how noble he could be. Canaan had realized that Lao and Nori were afraid the Crogs might be after their only child. They wanted him to protect Aikka. Canaan was relieved that, at least, the King and the Queen didn’t act like everything was back to normal. He liked fear better than ignorance.

Training Aikka was harder than expected. He was a sweet boy. A bit too nice. Canaan liked the fact he wasn’t rude like most noble kids. Aikka didn’t seem to think less of him because he was a commoner. Canaan knew many people at the castle hated him for the simple fact he had done so well, despite coming from a poor background. He had told Aikka that his father was a woodworker and that his mom had died giving birth to him, because there wasn’t any doctor in their small village. The Prince had seemed genuinely interested, and sad. Canaan was glad for that. 

He was worried for other things. Aikka cried easily, even in front of other people. When he left the castle with his master - at 7, like the custom wanted - he sobbed all the way to his new house, and some more in his bedroom at night, where he thought no one could hear him. 

Canaan didn’t have kids, and didn’t plan to have any in the future. It’s not like he hated children ; he just never found space for them in his life. Same for women, really, except for some short relationships with ladies who didn’t mind not being married to him. Canaan never had a chance to be something other than serious. So it was a struggle for him to find a balance in his relationship with Aikka. This was something new. He couldn’t be like a parent to him, even if the Prince didn't really know what an actual father was. Canaan couldn't hold him when he cried. But he didn’t want to be too cold either. For the next eight years, he saw Aikka everyday, more than anyone else in his life. They trained together, cooked for each other, and even occasionally shared the same bed when Canaan would make them sleep in the wild. 

“You do know me better than my own parents", Aikka had said one day, after his daily meditation session. 

He had looked a bit embarrassed saying this, like it was something that he thought about often but that shouldn’t been said out loud. That was around when Aikka started to be more assertive. The crying kid had bloomed into a cocky teenager. The Prince had a big mouth. Canaan made sure that he kept it shut, most of the times. He didn't want him to be like the other nobles. Mean. And he wasn't. His kindness, the one that Canaan saw as a weakness before, had changed into respect. For his people, whatever their background, for their traditions, for nature and its gifts. He would make a great King, if the times were more simple. Lao still wanted his son to be cold, rather than open-hearted. 

Aikka’s relationship with his parents wasn’t easy. He didn't see them much. The Prince was kept outside of the castle. For custom, but also for his safety, and the kingdom’s. When Nourasia had been formally invited to the Oban race, nobody thought about sending Aikka. It was too dangerous. This Prince had been furious about this. Who else could fight for the future of his kingdom, if not the man who was supposed to rule over it one day? For the first time, Aikka had shouted at Canaan. The old master had never felt more like a father, dealing with the anger of his teenage son.

Even if he was hot blooded, the Prince was also smart. Going to Oban was a dangerous bet, but also the safest. Any other Nourasian pilot would have been killed by the Crogs. They couldn’t murder Aikka. Not that openly at least. The race was taking place in front of the entire universe. Crogs liked to be sneaky. Aikka wanted to go, play their game as long as he could, and maybe, maybe, win and save his kingdom. They didn’t know, back then, how unfair the Ultimate Prize was. 

Canaan had gone with him, of course. Aikka was his life. He didn’t mind. Being his master was better than fighting a war. In both cases, Canaan was a soldier, property of the kingdom and his rulers. It was an honorable destiny. One that made his father proud. He thought about him a lot, as he was getting older. On Arouas and Oban, Canaan realized his bound with the Prince truly was fatherly love. He wanted to protect him, from himself and the others, or that earthling girl that he obviously had fallen for. Canaan knew that despite the crown and his responsibilities, Aikka was just a normal boy.


End file.
